Senate sets up panel to probe NDLEA’s drug allegation against colleague

The Senate has constituted a six-member ad hoc committee headed by Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe to investigate drug allegations against the deputy leader of the Senate, Senator Oyelola Yisa Ashiru (APC Kwara South).

This followed a ‘personal explanation’ by Ashiru under Order 42, of the Senate rules, in which the lawmaker said his privileges were breached by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).

The NDLEA had said Senator Ashiru’s house in Ilorin, Kwara State, was raided and consignment of drugs recovered.

Chairman of the agency, Brig. Gen. Mohammed Buba Marwa, made the allegation during a press conference on Monday.

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Marwa, represented by Mr Femi Babafemi, Director, Media and Advocacy of the agency, also said three of Ashiru’s aides were arrested, prosecuted and sentenced, including, one sent to jail in June this year.

Senator Ashiru had last week during plenary accused the NDLEA of corruption and compromise.

While seeking protection from the Senate on Tuesday, Ashiru described the NDLEA allegations as malicious, saying it was an attempt to malign him and stop him from contributing to debates on the floor of the Senate.

Ashiru said, “I am 68 years now. I can assert that I don’t take alcohol; I don’t take drugs. I don’t get myself involved in these things; I don’t take cannabis.”

Responding, the Senate President Godswill Akpabio backed the senator, saying “Injury to one is injury to all.”

Akpabio said, “Anything you say here is covered by privilege; it is covered by immunity. In the Senate, we see you as a gentleman to the core.”

The Senate President charged the ad hoc committee to summon the leadership of NDLEA to appear before the Senate to justify the allegations.

Akpabio threatened that failure to justify the allegations would be met with drastic action against the NDLEA.